


The Anderson Family's Survival

by ScarletMarieLeaf



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Drama, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Friendship/Love, Horror, M/M, Multi, Post-Zombie Apocalypse, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Survival, Suspense, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:07:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29332062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarletMarieLeaf/pseuds/ScarletMarieLeaf
Summary: After spending four years away in London, England for college, Rosaline Anderson decides its' well past due for a visit, especially since her younger sister'll be graduating high school! She returns to her home in Connecticut for some well deserved rest and quality time with her family, only to receive a surprise not even a week into her visit: the whole family's invited to their cousin's in-law's camp ground in Florida for two weeks of fun in the great outdoors! Unfortunately for the Andersons, however, their trip doesn't last very long before the world begins to fall apart and they have to fight their way back home. On their way through Georgia, though, they're sent off course due to the chaos in Atlanta and join a group of survivors just outside the city, where they have to ban together in order to live through this apocalpyse that's taken their world. What will happen to the family as love and friendship starts to bloom between them and the rest of their survival group? Will they be able to survive this new world together or be torn apart?
Relationships: Andrea/Shane Walsh, Beth Greene (Walking Dead)/Original Male Character(s), Carl Grimes/Original Female Character(s), Carol Peletier/Original Male Character(s), Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s), Enid (Walking Dead)/Original Male Character(s), Lori Grimes/Rick Grimes, Lori Grimes/Shane Walsh, Maggie Greene/Glenn Rhee, Original Male Character(s)/Original Female Character(s), Rick Grimes/Michonne
Kudos: 5





	1. The End if Neigh

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LostFeather](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LostFeather/gifts).



> Helloooo my fellow pack members,
> 
> Yes, I'm back again with another rewritten story, this time my TWD fanfiction. Everyone really seemed to like it last time I wrote it and I'd been dying to starting writing it again, just from a different starting point than last time. Yes, the first chapter introduction is still very much the same, but instead of the Andersons meeting the Atlanta group at the Greene family, they are going to become a part of the original group itself from the very beginning! I'd wanted to see how different things would be and how each of the character would get along with the original cast, so here we are! I hope you'll all enjoy this version of the story as much as you enjoyed the original one and, if not, just let me know in the comments. Like I've said before, i thrive on constructive criticism!  
> Annnnyway, I'm gonna let you all get on with the story, so please enjoy!  
> Signed, your alpha, ScarletMarieLeaf
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the Walking Dead plotline nor any of the characters. They belong to AMC, Fox Networks, Frank Darabont and Robert Kirkman.

Has anyone ever noticed just how easily time seems able to slip away, like water through your fingers? No matter what measures you try to take, life always seems to have a habit of going by in the mere blink of any eye. Years pass like minutes, sometimes so fast you don’t even realize they’ve past until you stop and actually assess where you’ve been and how you got to where you might be now.

At least, that’s what if felt like for young Rosaline Anderson. Even now it was still hard for her to believe how quickly time had elapsed, how fast her life seemed to have gone on by without her notice. Her days in high school were long since passed, her teenage years now just fond, distant memories she would occasionally recall during her down time. Down time so often scare between her college classes, the 20+ hours she worked at a relatively successful bookstore in downtown London, and the time she spent hanging out with friends. By the time she took the opportunity to stop and access her own life, Rose was surprised, and a bit ashamed, to realize it had been four years, almost to the day, since her high school graduation; four years since she had left home to study psychology in the U.K. Hell, she hadn’t even seen her family since she had moved to London and, what was more, the oldest of her three younger siblings, Anna, would be graduating high school herself this coming spring!

With all of this to keep in mind, what better course of action to take then to go back home to Connecticut for a reunion that was long past overdue?

The reunion was the one decision that would later prove to have been her best one yet.

It all seemed to happen in mere seconds, instead of the weeks it actually took…like a blur, a whirlwind of color and noise, laughter…the few last good memories she would be able to make with her entire family before the world they knew crumbled around them.

Their celebration started as soon as Rose stepped off the airport escalator into the baggage claim. Within seconds of spotting her family, she found herself at the bottom of an excited, withering, shrieking dogpile, consisting mainly of both her sisters and mother. All three of them were talking at the same time, telling her how much they’d missed her and asking a million questions about her life in England, what she’d been doing, the people she’d met and the friends she’d made, etc. When they finally calmed down and the girls were pulled to their feet by Shawn and Elijah, Rose’s father and brother, they collected her bags and left for home, still chatting happily about everything that had gone on over the last four years. Within the week, Anna was a high school graduate herself and she, Rose was more than thrilled to learn, had been accepted into the University of Washington in Seattle, assuring her future as a microbiologist, just as she’d dreamed of being since she was five. Not long after that, their parents announced that they had been invited to stay with their cousin and his wife’s family on their camp ground in Florida for a couple of weeks’ worth of outdoor fun, which the family was more than happy to participate in.

The first warning of the Outbreak began the day after the family had settled into the campground, broadcasted on the morning radio station as they were cooking breakfast. To them, however, just listening to the reports cackle out from the speakers of the old portable radio while the campfire crackled and bacon sizzled away in the pan, it had all seemed irrelevant. In that moment, it was nothing more than a news report, something that would blow over thanks to the police or military. What happened over the next couple of days, however, would prove them so very wrong…

Rose’s mother, Violet, was the first to fall to the disease; during a quick run to the market with her youngest daughter, Violet had been attacked and bitten by a crazed customer, which she had written off as little more than a misunderstanding when she later recounted the event to the rest of their family. She waved off her husband’s concern when he noticed the bloodied bandages staff had wrapped around her arm, reassuring him it was just a little bite as she stocked their supplies away in the RV. After a bit of persuading, he reluctantly relented and let the matter lie for the moment, although neither he nor their children are oblivious to the tall-tale signs of fever they can clearly see creeping into the matriarch’s face. The flush of her skin steadily worsens as the day wears on, magnified by the sheen of sweat that is ever present on her brow. It isn’t long until her breathing becomes labored and Violet becomes restless, her eyes darting in every direction as though they can’t quite settle on one thing. By the time the sun has begun to set, she’s burning hot to the touch and the rest of the family knows they had to get her help.

Any hospital or clinic nearby is full, so overrun with patients with symptoms similar to Violet’s that they were even turned away at the door to the hospitals’ emergency rooms. With nowhere else to go, the Andersons were forced to retreat to the campgrounds, where they did everything they could to make Violet comfortable. They give her cold compresses and aspirin in an effort to bring her fever down, but can only watch helplessly as it continues to climb higher with each passing hour. A state of delirium slowly begins to set in, warring with her conscious mind up to the end. Half the time delirious, half coherent…it was difficult to be able to tell which one was worse: knowing how pained she was when she was in her right state of mind or her not knowing what was going on around her, where she was, or who any of the people around her were. The end was not any easier, for Violet or the rest of her family.

Violet Anderson passed away at 1:15 am that night, surrounded by her husband, two of her children, her nephew and his wife. Rose would remember her last moments vividly for years to come, the image of her eyes flickering from Shawn, to her, to Christina, and then to Sheon and Lily burned painfully into the inside of her eyelids by her tears. Violet smiled weakly at each of them, her breath shallow, chest rising and falling slowly with each weak gasp. Anna and Elijah were downstairs with Anna’s boyfriend, Alex, keeping an eye on Sheon and Lily’s son, unable to stand the sight of their mother wasting away in her bed. Weak hands grip Shawn and Sheon’s as tightly as they’re able while the light slowly fades from her eyes, three simple words falling from her lips with her last, labored breath.

“I love you…”

Hot tears gathered in Rose’s eyes, blurring her vision and burning her cheeks as she pulled her youngest sister into her arms; Christina turns into her embrace, her whole-body quaking with the force of her muffled sobs as she hid her face in Rose’s chest and wrapped her arms tight around her waist. Lily sobbed quietly into her hands as Violet’s eyes slipped shut, her last breath leaving her on a quiet sigh; her head rolled lifelessly to the side, her fingers slipping from Sheon’s hand to land atop the bedsheets. Sheon wrapped his arms around his wife and clutched her close as she buried her face in his chest, fingers gentle in her soft blond hair, eyes focused intently on a spot on the wall. Shawn is shaking as he gently lifts Violet’s body from her pillow, hugging her carefully to his chest and tenderly stroking her hair, sobs muffled against her shoulder. After a moment, he pulls back enough to press a kiss to the cooling flesh of her temple and whisper his love for her in her ear, an unspoken promise that she would always be in his heart and mind no matter where he went or who he met.

“Dad?” The quiet voice made Sheon and Rose turn toward the bedroom door. Elijah had paused in the doorway, staring around at each of them with furrowed brows before his gaze paused on the bed, where Shawn was still hugging Violet. “I…is she…?” He looked back at his eldest sister, who nodded quietly, unable to actually say the words aloud since she was still trying to come to terms with it herself.

“Is something wrong, Eli?” Sheon asked softly, voice thick with emotion. Elijah blinked back his tears, turning to address his cousin now.

“I, uh…y-yeah, there’s…. there’s some kind of ruckus going on in the camp…Alex wanted to go check it out, but we didn’t want him going alone and we didn’t want to just leave one person in charge here so we thought, uh…w-we thought one of you would be able to…”

“I’ll come down and see what’s going on. We should bring Uncle Shawn downstairs for some fresh air anyway…” He pulled away to kiss Lily’s forehead and give her a small smile before he turned to help Shawn to his feet.

It would take both Rose and Sheon to pull Shawn gently away from Violet before he was escorted out of the bedroom by his nephew, who knew losing Violet had to have hit him the hardest since he’d just watched the woman he loved die right in front of him. Elijah moved out of the way to allow the two to pass as he glanced in at Rose, Christina, and Lily; Rose smiled quietly at him and inclined her head after Sheon and Shawn, silently telling him to go help them since their father would need him more now than they would. Elijah hesitated for the briefest of moments before giving a quiet nod and hurrying down the hall after the duo, leaving the three women to say their goodbyes. Rose and Christina each gave their mother one last hug and whispered their love to her in her ear before Rose gently led Christina out of the room, too, so Lily could have her turn; although Lily wasn’t blood related to the Andersons, she had still felt like they were her family and she’d looked up to Violet as an aunt after she had married Sheon. Violet had always been a caring woman and had accepted her into their family readily, no if, ands, or buts about it and there was no doubt in Lily’s mind that she would be greatly missed, not just by her own husband and children, but by every member of her family.

Out in the hall, Rose gently stopped Christina and turned her to face her, brushing a few stray tears from her face with a weak smile, “It’s gonna be okay, Chrissy…we’ll be okay…” Christina sniffled quietly and nodded, “Listen, why don’t you head on downstairs to sit with An and Eli. I’m sure they could use the help looking after Zack –“

The crack of gunfire echoed from outside, followed by a chorus of crashes and blood-curdling screams that made both Rose and Christina jump. Their hearts sank when they both realized one of those screams had come from directly behind them.

Whirling around together to find the source of the noise, Rose instinctively held an arm out in front of Christina to protect her, her shoulders stiffening at the sight before them.

Lily. With a brunette head bent over her shoulder and blood cascading down her arm and back, soaking rapidly through her clothes, the bedsheets, and carpet.

With their hearts thundering in their ears, the sisters leapt into action without thinking, Rose grabbing Lily to yank her away just as Violet raised her head. The sound of grinding teeth echoed eerily in the room as she chewed aggressively on a mouthful of torn flesh and muscle, bloodied veins trailing from the corners of her mouth like strands of spaghetti covered in sauce. Christina steps up in front of her and put her hands on Violet’s chest to hold her back as she desperately tried to get her attention, pleading with her mother to look at her, to say something, anything. The only thing that would escape the woman’s lips is the deepest, most feral snarl any of them would ever hear as Violet turned her attention on her youngest daughter and lunged toward her. Christina screams as she falls backward onto the carpet, where Violet pins her down with sharp, claw-like hands, her teeth snapping dangerously close to the teen’s face as she tries desperately to hold her back.

Adrenaline pulsed through Rose at the sight of her little sister in danger, kick-starting her instinct to protect her as she lunged forward to grab fistfuls of her mother’s shirt and haul her backward off Christina. Her mind raced with questions as she tried to talk some sense into Violet, begging her to stop, to listen to reason. But when Violet turned on her next with another deep-throated, feral snarl like some kind of wild animal and Rose looked into her once beautiful chocolate brown eyes, she knew…the dull, dead gray eyes staring right through her, like she was nothing more than a walking, talking piece of meat that needed to be devoured, were enough to let her know this was no longer the woman who had raised her with so much tender love and care. It was just an empty shell. It wasn’t her mother anymore…and yet…this knowledge did nothing to make having to do what she did next any easier.

With that violent, animalistic snarl still on her lips, the reanimated corpse threw her whole weight into Rose, forcing her back against the wall. Rose huffed as her back hit the hard plaster, blood rushing fast in her veins, her earlier instinct to fight and protect her family shifting her body onto autopilot. Bracing her knees between her torso and Violet’s, Rose pressed hard into the wall and pried the other woman away from her until she was an arm’s length away. Bloodied fingers swiped desperately at Rose’s face, only just missing her bangs, the audible sound of her snapping teeth intermixing hauntingly with the snarls and growls that emitted from deep in her throat.

Taking a deep breath, Rose bent her knees back toward her; Violet followed the movement, solely intent on her meal and unprepared for the hard kick delivered directly to the center of her abdomen. The sudden shift in momentum sent her stumbling backward and was enough to send her tumbling, head over feet, across the bed.

“Lily,” Rose panted, scrambling to her feet as Violet disappeared over the edge of the bed, “Lily! Do you think you have enough strength to get Christina out of here?”

Lily, who had been watching from the window in the corner, shifted to push off the windowsill when a wave of dizziness washed over her, so quick and unexpected it sent her to her knees. Rose looked up from coaxing Christina to her feet by the end of the bed and felt the blood drain from her face when she realized the extent of the damage Violet had caused.

The entirety of Lily’s shoulder had been bitten off, leaving behind a gruesome crater of torn muscles, flesh, and veins. Her once white tank top and the navy-blue carpet were both turning crimson with her blood while her face was rapidly losing color, already shifting from a healthy peach to an off-color gray, similar to the color of porridge.

“S-sorry, Rose….I…I can’t…” Lily gave her a weak, apologetic smile, but Rose quickly shook her head.

“No, don’t…don’t apologize, Lil…you’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” Her voice is tight with emotion and she tries to clear it as best she can, “You just…just rest there. Chrissy.” She dared a glance over her shoulder to see if Violet was getting back to her feet before turning back to her sister, who was staring intently at Lily. “Christina.” Rose gently grasped Christina’s shoulders and turned her to face her, cupping the teen’s chin until their eyes met, “Christina, look at me, don’t look at Lily, okay?” Christina nodded slowly, still coming to terms with everything that was going on. “All right, now you have to listen, Chrissy, listen very carefully: I need you to go downstairs and get dad. Let him and Sheon know what’s going on.”

Christina blinked slowly, her brain taking a few seconds to register what it was Rose was saying before her brows furrowed, wrinkling the skin of her forehead, “B-but Rose, what about you and Lily? S-she’s –“

Rose quickly shook her head, cutting her off, “Don’t you worry about me, I’ll be just fine, but neither of us is going to be of any help to Lily with… _that_ walking around.” She nodded to the other side of the bed as a pale hand reared up over the edge, fisting in the tangle of blankets and sheets, “Whatever it is now because I sure as hell know that isn’t mama anymore. I don’t want you in the same room with it longer than you have to be and I’d feel better if you were downstairs and out of danger.” Rose looked pleadingly into Christina’s eyes, “Please, Chrissy…just trust me on this…I can distract it long enough for you to get out of here to get daddy and Sheon, but I need you to go now.”

Christina pinched her brows, searching the young woman’s eyes; Rose had never given her a reason not to trust her before and, somewhere deep down, she knew she wouldn’t now. As the eldest of the four siblings, Rose had always taken her role as a big sister very seriously and did everything in her power to make sure Anna, Elijah, and Christina were well and happy. This time would be no different.

“Okay…okay, I’ll get them up here as quickly as I can. Just…please be careful, Rose.”

Rose smiled reassuringly and hugged Christina tight, “I will, I promise.” She whispered, squeezing the younger girl’s waist. A low growl rumbled from the other side of the bed, forcing the sisters to break apart. Rose gently nudged Christina toward the door, already shifting to face the source of the noise, “Go, Chrissy, hurry.”

With a quick nod, Christina turned on her heel and hurried from the room while Violet growled, pushing herself back to her feet; Rose, taking note of the direction she was headed, ran around the bed to block her from going after Christina. With an angry snarl, Violet fisted her fingers in Rose’s shirt, jerking her so suddenly Rose was momentarily thrown off balance. She stumbled, holding Violet at arm’s length again, and leaning away from her snapping teeth. Violet threw their combined weight forward and Rose, doing her best to regain her footing and avoid the corpse’s gaping maw, tried to shift sideways, away from the door. As she moved, the back of her legs hit something soft, but solid. Violet shoved forward again, pushing Rose’s lower back into the hard edge of the vanity, her body bowing backward with the force until her shoulder blades hit the large, circular mirror. Rose winced at the loud crack that resonated throughout the room upon impact.

Black spots danced in her vision and Rose shook her head to dispel them as Violet loomed over her; she squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to get her bearings under the assault of her other senses as Violet shoved her repeatedly into the broken mirror. Under the combined sounds of the angry snarls and slam of the vanity against the wall, Rose could just hear the crack and pop of the glass as it gave underneath her. Adrenaline continued to pulse in her veins, but even then, the young women knew she couldn’t keep this up forever; her strength would wane soon and she needed to do something asap if she hoped to survive.

Bending her legs, Rose braced her knees against the other woman’s chest again, freeing up one of her hands to search the vanity for something, anything she could use as a weapon. As her hand swept frantically across the surface, she could feel a few random make-up containers and knick-knacks brush her fingertips before they were sent skidding over the edge, heard the muffled sound of plastic containers bounce across the carpet while glass ornaments and decorations shattered on impact. Shit, shit, shit! There had to be something she could use - !

Rose’s heartbeat quickened when her index finger ran across something metallic. She instinctively grabbed for it when she felt it start to slide away, her palm closing around a flat, half course, half smooth instrument as she met her mother’s lifeless gray eyes one last time.

“I’m sorry, mama.” She whispered, gathering her strength to launch herself forward and strike with what strength she had left. Violet hit the floor first, clawing at Rose as she fell on top of her, the combination of gravity and momentum driving Rose’s weapon deep into Violet’s eye socket; the older woman stilled, her vicious snarl breaking off into a low, gurgled moan. Hot blood gushed over Rose’s hands as Violet’s fingers slipped from her shirt, the low moan petering off into a final, weak gasp before she finally went still.

Rose, feeling her finally let go, threw herself backward off of Violet, collapsing back against the vanity drawers, her gaze transfixed on the other woman’s brutalized face. Crimson blood coated the handle of the metal nail file she had driven into her mother’s eye while fat drops gathered just under her lower lashes, running rivulates down her cheeks that glistened sickeningly in the artificial light from the bedside lamps; the sight of it made Rose inadvertently flex her fingers, feeling the hot, sticky blood that now stained her skin.

The reality of the situation settled in, bringing with it a tsunami of thoughts and feelings that had Rose reeling; despair and panic clawed their way to the surface first, warring for dominance with the guilt that clutched at her heart like a vice, stealing the very breath from her lungs. Hot tears burned her eyes as she fought for air, each breath shallow and harsh in her throat, eardrums thrumming with her elevated heartrate.

A small part of Rose wondered briefly if this was what a panic attack must feel like…this all-encompassing feeling of the world unraveling around her while she could do little more than watch it crumble and burn without any means of stopping it. Was this what it felt like to fall apart at the seams without knowing how she could fix it or if everything was going to be okay?

The larger part of Rose, however, was consumed by what she had just done and flood of questions that came with it; had she actually just done that? How…how could she…to her own mother?!

Rose was so overwhelmed by the storm that ravaged her heart and mind she didn’t even notice when Shawn and Sheon came running up the stairs not five minutes later. The two men froze when they reached the doorway, their eyes widening at the bloodied scene before them. Sheon’s eyes immediately turned on his wife and he crossed the room in a few quick strides to join her by the window, the color draining from his face when he takes notice of what was left of her torn and bloody shoulder. Shawn, meanwhile, moves his gaze from his wife’s prone body in the middle of the room to where Rose is hyperventilating by the vanity, her head in her hands and tears streaming down her cheeks. He made a direct beeline for his child, his paternal instinct to comfort and console her overruling everything else in that moment.

“Rose…” He whispered as he lowered himself to his knees in front of her; her whole frame shook with the effort to breath, each breath quick and sharp as she choked out half coherent sobs. Shawn’s heart broke at seeing her in such distress and he reached automatically for her, putting a careful hand on her shoulder while he cupped her chin firmly in the other. Rose flinched at his touch, her gaze meeting his as he tilted her face up, her eyes wild, betraying the inner turmoil she was currently wrestling with. “Rose, sweetheart, it’s me. It’s daddy.”

“D…daddy…” Rose managed to get out in a strangled, broken voice. Shawn smiled weakly in return, brushing the back of his fingers affectionately along the line of her jaw. She leaned into his hand, her breathing already beginning to even out at the familiar touch.

“That’s it, baby…breath.” Shawn murmured encouragingly, his voice soft, gentle, like he was talking to his frightened little girl after she had just woken from a nightmare. He shifted closer so Rose could lean into him, the hand on her shoulder moving to wrap around her waist and pull her to him. She buried her face in his chest, her shoulders still shaking with the force of her sobs. Shawn kissed the top of her head, “Shh, you’re okay, baby…it’s going to be okay.”

“I-I’m s-so-sorry, daddy,” Rose croaked out after a stretch of silence. Shawn looked down at her, running a gentle hand through her hair, “I-I didn’t…I didn’t w-want to…I didn’t want to hurt mom…” Her voice broke and another strangled sob escaped her, “I didn’t want to…b-but mom, she…s-she attacked Lily and Christina…I…my body just reacted on its own…I-I didn’t want to hurt her, daddy, I-I’m so sorry…I d-didn’t…I’m sorry…” Her throat constricted, chest clenching so tight she felt like she couldn’t breathe again. Shawn’s own chest constricted at the pain he could hear in his daughter’s voice, hating how much this whole situation was affecting her. His arms tightened instinctively around her and he pressed a chaste kiss to the crown of her head.

“You have nothing to apologize for, Rose, absolutely nothing…” He whispered as he rubbed slow, soothing circles into her back, “You did exactly what you were supposed to do…you protected your little sister from harm.” He glanced at his wife’s corpse out of the corner of his eye, thinking back on what had happened over the last half hour and what his youngest daughter had told him when she’d come to get him and Sheon. Obviously, what had happened to Violet to make her attack her own children had something to do with that disease they had heard about on the radio not long ago. He and nephew had seen its effects first hand down in the camp before they’d had to come back; those that had fallen to the disease had come back not long after they’d died, with the only purpose Shawn could see to attack and devour the closest living creature, no matter if it was a stranger, a pet, or even a loved one.

What had attacked Rose, Lily, and Christina had not been Violet and Shawn knew that what Rose had had to do was not her fault in any way, shape, or form. She’d been protecting her family just as Shawn and Violet had always told her, which was nothing to be ashamed of and she had to know that one way or another.

Slowly pulling away to see her face, Shawn gently cupped Rose’s chin again and tilted her head up until she could meet his gaze once more, brushing her tears away with the pads of his thumbs, “Rose, look at me,” He held her chin firmly so she couldn’t pull away while she glanced at the wall, unable to meet his eye. Shawn leaned into her line of vision again, refusing to let her look away from him, “Rose, you have to know this was absolutely not your fault…what happened with your mother…this disease that’s going around is what made her do what she did. She wasn’t in her right frame of mind…there are other campers out there that have died to this thing just as Violet did…and they’re attacking other people, too, eating them. You did what you had to to protect your sister.” Rose’s gaze flicked back to her father’s, eyes widening as he spoke slowly, but firmly, “This. Was. _Not_. Your. Fault, Rose. You did what was right…you protected Christina and made sure to get her out of harms’ way. This…” He indicated the body laid out before them, “This isn’t your mother anymore…Violet is gone…a lot of people are…you have to know that…”

Rose searched Shawn’s face as he spoke, searching desperately for any indication that he was lying, but he just smiled encouragingly in return, letting her know he had meant every word. She slowly relaxed, letting what he had said sooth her and gave him a quiet nod to show she understood. Shawn’s expression softened as he brushed away the remainder of her tears, tenderly tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before he got to his feet, pulling her up with him.

“What should we do now…?” Rose glanced down at Violet’s body with a frown, “We…we can’t just leave her here…”

“We might have to…” Shawn ran a hand through his hair thoughtfully, “By the time Christina came to get us, the camp was in chaos…it isn’t safe here anymore.”

“We have to leave?’ Rose looked at her father as he nodded solemnly.

“We can’t!” Sheon’s desperate, shaky voice drew the duo’s attention to where he was trying to ted to his injured wife; Rose could feel another sob choke her at the sight of Lily’s wounds while Shawn’s eyebrows furrowed together. Even without the danger of disease, both father and daughter knew just by looking that the damage to Lily’s shoulder was too great for any of them to be able to fix without the proper medical equipment. On top of that, Lily had lost too much blood already...she swayed in place, her eyelids drooping, face now an off-white parchment color. “We have to do something to save Lily.”

“Sheon…I…” Shawn took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts as he glanced between Sheon and Lily, as though silently trying to convey what he wanted to say to his nephew without actually having to say it. Sheon’s eyebrows furrowed at the look, the veins in his neck bulging as he clenched his jaw and wrapped a protective arm around his wife, pulling her closer.

“We have to help her, Uncle Shawn.” His voice and eyes were tight, expression stony, “We can’t just leave her here to die with all those…those _things_ outside! You saw what they were doing to people and the animals! We just saw Mrs. Paterson disembowel her own dog for Christ’s sake!”

“What do you suggest we do then, Sheon…? Even if we had the proper equipment to treat her injures, we don’t have the time and we can’t exactly move Lily in her condition. She would be dead before we could even get her down the stairs.” Shawn gave the young man an empathic look, knowing more than anyone how he must feel right now after just losing his own wife. That frustration and helplessness at knowing there was nothing he could do to save the woman he loved, no matter how much he wished he could. “Sheon, I’m sorry…but there’s nothing we can do…”

B-but we…we still have to try!” Sheon argued, shaking his head stubbornly. “I can’t just leave Lily here, Uncle Shawn! What if it was Aunt Violet? We have to do something before she ends up just like her!”

“Bit too late for that…” Lily rasped weakly, gazing up at her husband from under her lashes with glazed, half-lidded eyes, breath shallow just as Violet’s had been not even an hour before. She gripped his sleeve with feeble fingers, sagging into Sheon as her strength slowly left her body with each drop of blood lost, “You…you have to know that…don’t you, Sheon? We’ve seen way too many movies like this…to just guess…what it could be…You have…to go…all of you…”

Sheon’s expression softened as he turned his attention to Lily, eyebrows arching and lip trembling while he looked into her eyes. His glistened with unshed tears as he slowly shook his head back and forth, “No…no, Lil, it….it can’t be that...that’s just something Hollywood cooked up for a good story…we…” he gently cupped his free hand around her wound, as though sure he would be able to slow the bleeding as he looked it over desperately, “We’ll…we’ll be able to get you treated somehow and you’ll pull through this…you won’t end up like Aunt Violet, you can’t…this is all just…”

“Sheon…” Lily cupped Sheon’s cheek, moving his face around until he could meet her gaze once more, her voice somehow firmer than before, eyes staring as resolutely as they could, “I know…this isn’t easy to…to wrap your brain around, but…but this is reality…it isn’t a dream…or some kind…of prank…it’s something…we need to face…you know what this is…the dead coming back to life…eating people…infecting them…it’s the zombie apocalypse….” She had to take in a deep breath of air, glancing downward to where Violet was laid out by her daughter and husband’s feet, “Aunt Violet got infected…and bit me…infected me, too…and there…there are so many people in the camp that are infected as well…without the proper help, none of us…will be able to fix this…” her gaze flickered back to his, “It’s too late for me…you need to focus on taking care of Zack now…”

“Lily…”

“Daddy, Sheon!” Footsteps hurried up the staircase and Anna paused in the doorway, taking in the scene before her with wide eyes, “What…? W-was mom -?”

Shawn gave a small, sad nod and despair flashed briefly across Anna’s face, “What’s going on downstairs, Anna? Is everything all right?”

Reminded of their current situation, the young woman took a deep breath and exhaled lowly, steeling herself, “Daddy, those things outside are starting to gather around the house…anyone that didn’t get eaten has already fled into town for help. Alex, Elijah and I already locked both the front and back door, but it’s a literal mob out there and they’re going to find a way in here one way or another.”

Shawn exchanged a look with Rose, who furrowed her brows, shifting her attention toward the new problem, “We’re going to need to leave, asap.”

Shawn nodded in agreement, already mapping out the layout of the cabin in his mind, “If both doors are locked than they both must be blocked now, huh?” Anna nodded grimly, “Than they’re both out of the question…how’s the outer perimeter look, Anna?”

“We’re surrounded on three sides, since most of the turned are coming in from the surrounding camp. If we were to try to escape, we’d have to take one of the windows in the back to escape into the forest.”

“No, we aren’t going to try to escape on foot, that would be too dangerous. We don’t know this forest well enough to be able to navigate it effectively without flashlights.” Shawn shook his head.

“Not to mention we have a one-year-old to take care of and we’re practically surrounded by those corpses.” Rose chipped in.

“She’s right, none of us can risk getting separated in a situation like this and we can’t depend on the police to help, judging by how things were handled yesterday at the hospitals. If the staff there were overwhelmed, there’s no doubt the police were, too.” Shawn rubbed his whiskered chin thoughtfully.

“So how exactly are we going to escape then, the RV?” Anna pinched her brows as Shawn and Rose nodded, “That would be a great idea if the RV wasn’t outside and we weren’t trapped in here!”

Rose hummed thoughtfully and looked at Sheon, who had moved Lily to sit on the edge of the bed, “Hey Sheon, isn’t the spot where we parked just outside this room?” She nodded toward the window. Her cousin looked up at the question and nodded.

“Yeah, it’s parked just under the roof outside.” Realization dawned and he glanced at the window before turning back to Rose, “You aren’t actually suggesting we –“

“Get to the RV from the roof, yes.” Rose nodded as Sheon gave her an incredulous look. Anna cocked her head thoughtfully and went to the window to look outside.

“You know, that wouldn’t be too bad an idea. The roof isn’t overly steep, so we should be able to climb out the window and down to the RV without too much trouble. Then we can just open the top hatch to get inside and we’re out of here.”

Shawn smiled proudly to himself as he listened to Rose and Anna work out a plan for their escape and nodded silently without a word, not wishing to interrupt their flow until they were finished, “Sounds like an excellent plan to me and it minimizes our risk of interaction with that horde outside. But we’re going to need supplies to last us until we get somewhere safe.”

“I can go downstairs and corral Elijah and Alex to gather what we can from the kitchen.” Anna volunteered.

“We’re going to need medicine and things for Zack, so I’ll come downstairs with you to get Chrissy so we can prepare the diaper bag.” Rose suggested as the pair started for the door.

“Both of you be sure to grab everything that could be useful, including weapons.” Shawn encouraged, “And tell Alex, Elijah and Christina we’re to meet back here in 10 minutes. We shouldn’t linger longer than is necessary.”

“Yes daddy.” The girls chimed as they rounded the doorframe out of sight. Shawn nodded after them and tuned to his nephew, his expression sobering as he watched the young man tenderly lower his wife back into the pillows, her eyes already beginning to slip closed. Sheon was fighting back tears as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, his voice so soft Shawn couldn’t even hear him. Glancing down at his wife’s corpse on the floor, Shawn knew it would be best to step out of the room so the couple could say their goodbyes in private. He slipped out through the door without a word so as not to disturb them.

On his way down the stairs, Shawn passed Rose and Christina, who were taking Zack upstairs to get him ready to go. He smiled gently at the trio on his way past, telling the girls to leave Sheon and Lily be so they could say goodbye. The girls nodded in understanding, knowing how difficult this must be for their cousin as they headed for the nursery while Shawn continued downstairs. Alex, Anna and Elijah, meanwhile, were in the kitchen, stuffing what nonperishables they could find into hefty trash bags. Shawn walked past the kitchen doorway and continued on to the front room to search for anything useful they could bring along.

The sound of pounding fists on the front door and the mind-altering screech of nails on the front windows was what greeted the Anderson patriarch as he walked into the living room. He glanced briefly at the curtains covering the bay window, lit from the outside by the warm glow of the porch light, and frowned at the gruesome, humanoid silhouettes moving across the once cheerful yellow fabric. Their hands moved in a slow, clawing motion, the screech of nails accompanied by the low moans and snarls of the creatures that hungered for their flesh, waiting impatiently just outside the thick wooden walls. The sight and sound of it all made the hair on the back of Shawn’s neck stand on end, bringing with it an edge of anxiety to get his family as far from this place as quickly as possible. He wouldn’t be able to relax until he knew his nephews and children were safe.

Dragging his eyes from the haunting images, Shawn turned back to his task, busying himself with searching through each side table and the hutch in the corner of the room for anything useful. There wasn’t much, just some candles, matches, a couple of lighters, and a switchblade, but it was better than nothing, right?

Glass suddenly shattered in the other room, followed by a short, frightened scream that had Shawn running down the hall to the kitchen.

“Are you three okay?!” He asked, skidding to a stop in the doorway to assess the situation; neither Alex, Anna nor Elijah answered or even turned to acknowledge their father, frozen as they were in the doorway to the pantry, their eyes transfixed on what had caused the commotion. Shawn followed their gaze to the backdoor, which was shaking violently under the volley of blows from the group of walkers crowding in from the other side, their dead, gray eyes staring wildly in at Shawn through the broken kitchen window. They snarled and growled as they clawed at the old, chipped pane, rivulets of blood staining the whitewash paint crimson as the few pieces of glass not scattered across the tiled floor sliced through their fingers. The wood was already beginning to crack around the hinges and the doorknob, signifying the door was ready to give at any second.

“Time to go.” Shawn announced, scooting along the wall to where the trio stood without turning away from the door, which continued to warp and bend right before their very eyes. Shawn’s hand found Elijah’s forearm and he gave his son a hard yank, finally pulling him out of his reverie. “Go, now!”

A deafening _CRACK_ rent the room as the upper corner of the door tore free, sending the hinge and screws clattering to the floor, where they spun out of sight. Shawn shoved the younger adults ahead of him, taking the hefty bag from Anna’s hands to carry instead.

“What’s happening down there?” Rose was waiting for them at the top of the stairs as another _crack_ reverberated up from the kitchen.

“People are just _dying_ to get in here.” Elijah said as Shawn ushered them hurriedly into the master bedroom and closed the door behind them. Christina looked over from where she was helping Sheon with the window.

“Figured they would be, with how great the wifi is.” Rose joked as she helped Shawn block the door with the dresser; a loud crash came from downstairs, like wood hitting tile. Everyone flinched at the sound, their eyes wide as they listened to the shuffle of feet dragging across the floor and the snarls of walkers that drifted up the stairs. “Ah, there’s our cue.”

“Start moving everything to the RV!” Shawn ordered as he and Rose set the dresser against the bedroom door, “Quickly now. Rose, help me with this vanity.”

“I’ll climb out first, Eli, Al, you two come with me.” Sheon said, as he pulled himself onto the sill, “Anna, you and Chrissy can start handing us the bags once we’re out.”

“Right.” Anna and Christina nodded in agreement, watching as Sheon disappeared into the balmy summer air, followed shortly after by Elijah and then Alex. Feet stomped up the staircase just outside, drawing closer with every second.

“Time is of the essence, kids!” Shawn said as he and Rose shoved the vanity into the dresser and braced themselves for impact. Anna and Christina were quick to start handing their bags through the window to Elijah, who passed them along to Alex and Sheon. A cacophony of bone-chilling sounds filled the hallway, only just muffled through the walls as an incredible force slammed into the bedroom door, rattling the dresser and shaking pieces of the broken mirror free to litter the top of the vanity. Rose grits her teeth as the jagged pieces bit into her flesh and she dug her heels into the carpet for traction, bracing the vanity with her hips and hands. Shawn readjusted his stance, both hands braced on the edge of the dresser to keep it in place. “Girls -!”

“I can’t lift this bag by myself, it’s too heavy!” Christina huffed, struggling with the hefty bag full of food Alex had brought up from the kitchen. Cans of food clanged and rattled as she struggled to lift it from the floor, a thin film of sweat glistening on her brow. Anna stopped her, grabbing one side of the bag.

“We’ll lift it together, on three. One…two…three!” With their combined strength, the sisters were able to lift the bag through the window. “That’s the last bag.”

“Okay, now you two and Zack.” Shawn panted, knowing, even with the door locked, they were almost out of time. The walkers had already torn through the kitchen door, so there was no doubt they’d be able to do the same to this one. “Hurry!”

Anna slipped out through the window first so Christina could pass Zack, already strapped into his car seat, out to her.

“All right, Rose, your turn.” Shawn nudged his eldest daughter’s shoulder once Christina had slipped out after the toddler. “Go quickly now, while we still have time, I can hold this.”

Rose eyed Shawn out of the corner of her eye, but knew it wasn’t the time to argue; cracks were already beginning to appear around the edges of the door, meaning they likely only had minutes before the walkers got through. Besides, even if she didn’t feel comfortable leaving her father to handle the barricade by himself, Rose knew Shawn would be able to hold it for the few seconds it would take her to get outside. He would need whatever extra time the walkers needed to break down the door for his own escape.

“Don’t take too long, daddy.” Rose’s voice wavered as she spoke, despite her best efforts to sound stern. Shawn gave her a small smile as he watched her cross the room to the window.

“I’ll be right behind you, Rosie.” He promised. Rose paused to look back and nod when her eyes fell on the figure laid out in the bed.

Lily…she looked so peaceful, laid out as she was now; she had been tucked lovingly into bed, her hands folded across her stomach and head propped up by the pile of pillows stacked neatly along the top of the mattress. From this vantage point, Rose could barely see her wound and a part of her wondered if the other woman was merely asleep. That would be an easy assumption, if not for the blood that stained the once white sheets and her beautiful blond hair.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you, Lily.” Rose whispered, feeling her heart break at the knowledge they would be leaving tonight as an incomplete family, “I hope wherever you go, you’re happy…we’ll be sure to look after Sheon and Zack, okay?”

With those words of farewell, Rose clambered out of the window, pausing on the rooftop for her father; inside, she could hear the sounds of the dresser and vanity rattling, accompanied not too long after by the splinter and crackle of wood. It wasn’t long before Shawn was sliding through the windowpane himself.

“C’mon, Rose, it’s time to leave.” Shawn murmured softly as he took Rose’s hand in his and led her along the slope of the roof toward the RV. Sheon helped them across the short gap between the house and vehicle before lowering Rose into the RV itself.

“Everyone set?” Shawn asked once he’d closed the hatch behind him, sweeping his gaze around the vehicle for a quick headcount. Sheon pushed his way to the front to take the passenger seat while Alex held Anna in the rolling recliner behind him. Christina and Elijah made room for Rose on the pull out couch behind the drivers’ seat and she hugged Christina protectively to her chest as the teen cradled Zack’s car seat carefully in her lap. Shawn nodded silently and climbed into the drivers’ seat, opening the visor to retrieve the keys. “Then let’s blow this pop stand.”

As the RV rumbled to life, Rose leaned her head against the cool window to watch the lights of the cabin fade behind them. Exhaustion began to creep into her bones as her adrenaline wound down, bringing with it the aches and pains that had been kept at bay while she’d been focused on helping her family. Underneath it all, somewhere deep in her gut, there was a sense of foreboding at knowing what was to come, the challenges the Andersons were going to face from here on out. Their family was strong and capable, yes, but there was still an uncertainty to this new world they were entering that had Rose more than a little worried…but, now that they were amid the chaos and insanity, she supposed now that the only thing she could really do was hope. Hope that they would all be able to survive.


	2. Atlanta

A cool morning breeze swept through the quarry, creating ripples in the surface of the once placid lake and scattering the picturesque image of the fading night sky. Brilliant pink sherbet intermingled with soft golden orange along the length of the horizon, highlighting the peaks and ridges of the eastern mountains as the sun rose, chasing away the dark blue velvet blanket that enclosed the earth in its’ embrace. The pale sliver of a crescent moon hung low on the western horizon, growing dimmer in the ever brightening sky as day approached. 

Hazel eyes watched the nighttime apparition slowly fade before sliding past to observe the glowing horizon, the cool breeze that danced in the quarry surging up to brush the strawberry blond bangs from their gaze. A soft sigh and the faint rustle of clothes broke the quiet as Rose Anderson shifted to get herself comfortable in her foldable chair and leaned her chin in her open palm, gaze drifting over the cliff face to observe the quarry once more. The cool scent of water wafted up toward her on the wind, soothing away the lingering…unpleasantness occupying space in her mind. Flashes of her dream the previous night pass through her mind’s eye and she closed her eyes slowly, inhaling deeply and willing the images away with each exhale. For a reason she couldn’t quite explain, the presence of water had always seemed to have a strange soothing effect on her; even when she couldn’t see it, if she picked up the scent or even just the sound of it, her body would almost immediately relax. Thankfully for Rose, the group her family had joined had set up camp on the ridge of this quarry, so she had a source of water she could escape to whenever she felt the need.

It’d been well over a month since the outbreak of the disease that had taken her mother and cousin-in-law. After the Andersons had escaped the overrun campsite back in Florida, they hadn’t wasted time in finding the nearest shelter in which to take cover and lay out a plan of action; even in the overwhelming chaos, the government and military had managed to put together small camps for any survivors needing shelter or supplies. After their second camp was overrun, the Andersons headed up north to Georgia. They’d heard from some military personal that a safe zone was being established in Atlanta and they headed straight for it in hopes of finding somewhere safe from the undead while government officials worked on a cure. Unfortunately, or, perhaps, fortunately, for them, however, they hadn’t been able to even make it within the city limits; the road had been so congested with people trying to get into Atlanta, they’d ended up stuck on the highway, where they met the rest of the people trying to enter the city same as them. The people they met out on the road would later become a part of their survival group after the city was declared overrun and bombed in an effort to clear away the undead. When this failed, the newly established group decided it best to find a place to camp and found the quarry just a couple of miles outside the city. And that was where they stayed, with the hope that being close to what had once been Atlanta would make it easier for the military to find them once everything was under control again.

Thankfully for their group, the ridge in which they’d made their campsite was far enough in the forested hills that they had an ample supply of food and water, with little chance of being easily discovered by walkers that might wonder out of the city. So far, the number of walker attacks were minimal and the survivors had been living somewhat comfortably, although that didn’t mean they were completely without troubles. Supplies that couldn’t be found in the forest, such as toiletries, medicine, and medical supplies had to be scavenged from the city itself, meaning someone who knew Atlanta well had to be sent in to get what they needed when they needed it. With someone who could back them up when they got themselves into a sticky situation. 

Rose was the back-up, so to speak. And the actual errand boy of their group was –

“Rose?” Speak of the devil.

Rose lifted her gaze from the quarry as she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at the young man rounding Dale’s RV. He frowned as he approached, eyebrows pinching while she shifted in her seat to face him more fully. 

“Morning Glenn.” 

Glenn paused alongside her lawn chair and cocked his head, looking her over carefully before he gave a small smile of his own, “Hey, your dad told me I’d find you back here…did you have that nightmare again…the one with your mom?” 

A slow sigh escaped the young woman’s lips as she leaned back into her chair, glancing toward the horizon momentarily while the sun pulled itself over the mountains before she got to her feet and stretched her arms over her head. 

“Eh, yeah…just the same old dream…nothing new…”

Glenn’s frown deepened as he watched her fold up the lawn chair before she led the way back around the RV; the rest of their camp was just coming alive with activity now as other members of their group pulled themselves out of their tents to start the day. Rose greets Anna and Elijah as she joined them outside their camper, where they were gathering together a couple of pans to cook breakfast. Offering to bring the pans over to the fire herself, Rose traded her lawn chair for the cookware in Elijah’s arms, exchanged a grateful smile with her brother, and headed over to where Shawn was coaxing a small flame to life among the blackened ashes of the fire pit. Glenn watched the exchange silently and offered the siblings a smile in greeting before he followed Rose, the furrow in his brow creating creases in his forehead.

“Are you going to be okay for our run today?” 

Rose looked back at Glenn with a small frown, “Why wouldn’t I be?” 

Glenn rubbed the back of his neck, glancing off to the side uneasily, “Well…I know how you can be…you know, after…” he paused and waved a hand, as though he was trying to think of the right word. The last month had been difficult for everyone since the beginning of the outbreak, what with the undead taking over everything. Everyone had lost someone, their friends and family, neighbors, people they’d cared about; some had even been unlucky enough to have to put those loved ones down after they’d turned, just like Rose had had to do to her mother. Unfortunately, having to go through something so traumatic had left them each with their own emotional scars to deal with; practically all of them had reoccurring nightmares of the event that still haunted them. Each of them had their own way of dealing with it, of course, whether it was suppressing it all and pushing it to the back of their minds or talking their feelings out with someone who was willing to lend an ear. Having her father and siblings around, not to mention Glenn himself and a few other members of their group she had become close to, Rose always had someone to talk to if she needed to get something off her chest. And yet…there were still things she kept to herself…things she couldn’t share with anyone…Glenn wasn’t entirely sure what she could be keeping to herself, what she wasn’t sharing with them, but…he knew it weighed on her like nothing else ever had. She would sometimes go into herself and not want to be around anyone, she wouldn’t even want to be in the camp itself. Hell, if she got the chance, she would disappear into the woods for a while just to be alone…she didn’t seem to be in one of those kinds of moods right now, but…Glenn was worried about if that feeling came up while they were out in the city…she couldn’t exactly just wonder off on her own in a city full of walkers…that could jeopardize their entire group, her included…no one would be able to watch her back if she just disappeared and she wouldn’t be able to help the others if they got into a situation they would really need her for. 

Rose’s expression softened in understanding and she gave her friend a reassuring smile as they reached the fireside, where she bent to set the pans next to her father, “Glenn, I’ll be fine, really.” When she stood straight once more, she turned fully to face him, putting her hands on her hips, “Look, I know if I’m in a mood I can get…a bit distant with everyone, but I know how to control my emotions when I need to. I’m not going to just walk off in the middle of our run and leave you and the others high and dry when we need to be working together. If I’m upset later on, I’ll deal with it, but we need supplies and that’s what I’m going to focus on when we’re in the city. Okay?” 

Glenn continued to frown as he took a good, hard look at Rose’s face, as though to make sure she would keep that promise; she met his gaze with her own steady one, raising her eyebrows slowly, as though willing him to believe her. Finally, he sighed and gave a small nod.

“Okay…I believe you.”

A grateful smile crossed Rose’s lips as she squeezed Glenn’s shoulder tightly. He pats her hand, smiling a bit to himself before he took a step back. 

“I should go see if the rest of our team is up, we should get going after we eat.” Rose nodded after Glenn, watching as he walked deeper into the camp before she shook her head slowly, still smiling to herself; even though she hadn’t known Glenn long, the two had grown rather close, especially as he integrated into the Anderson family fold. Glenn hadn’t had any family in the city and had only known one other member of their group when everything had gone down. Naturally, the Andersons had taken him in, almost like he’d belonged. The Anderson children became like his siblings and he looked to Shawn like he would a father. So, of course he would be worried about Rose, especially since she was still having a hard time dealing with her mother’s death. He was looking out for her, just as any of their family would. 

Shaking these thoughts away, Rose turned to help Shawn, Anna, and Elijah finish setting up for breakfast, knowing the sooner everyone ate, the sooner she and Glenn could head out for the city with the rest of their supply group. Normally Rose and Glenn would head into Atlanta alone, but this time around their group had decided it might be better to send a small team, with the hope they would be able to get more supplies than what the duo could carry on their own. Glenn had been against the idea, pointing out that a team would be harder to get in and out of the city than him and Rose by themselves, but had finally conceded when their ‘leader’ Shane had suggested this be a trial run, with the promise that they wouldn’t send a team again if anything went wrong. The supply team wasn’t too big, only comprised of six people at most, although it was at least triple the usual number. Rose could only pray that things went well, especially since one of those chosen to go with them was something of a wild card. 

“Mm mm, well well, if that ain’t the prettiest little ass I ever did see ~”

Ugh…

Rose stiffened instinctively at the familiar Georgian drawl, the hair on the back of her neck raising at the feeling of eyes roaming hungrily over her body. With a deep, calming breath, she pulled herself to her full height, shoulders squared and back straight as she turned to face the owner of that voice. Mischievous blue eyes lifted from her waist to pause on her breasts, the lecherous smile on his lips widening. She crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes as his gaze finally met hers’.

Yup, this was their wild card, Merle Dixon…he was an older man, a native of Georgia with the personality of any stereotypical Southern redneck, volatile temper, foul-mouth, and poor manners included. He’d once been in the military and was good with firearms, which was a plus, but other than that, Rose was still uneasy at the thought of bringing him along into a city full of walkers. If even one little thing pissed him off or he got one wrong idea in that thick skull of a head of his, they could all be dead…and Rose would rather avoid getting eaten by walkers today…

“Did you need something, Merle?” One eyebrow rose in question as she watched him cock his head from one side to the other, his gaze sweeping down her body once more; she clenched her fists silently in an effort to suppress the shudder that hungry look in his eyes elicited, hating how he looked at her like some particularly chose piece of meat he wanted to sink his teeth (or dick) into. 

“Nah,” He drawled lazily, his tongue darting out to wet his lips as they curled upward in a devious smirk, “Mostly came to enjoy the view ~”

Rose’s nose scrunched and she rolled her eyes, “Ugh, you’re like a damn horny dog.” She muttered, stooping to gather together her pile of plates and silverware. Merle snickered, bemused, at the comment as he crossed his own arms over his chest, “Hm, a willin’ little bitch should be more than enough to cure that, shouldn’t it?” He stood back to admire the curve of Rose’s ass and the natural sway of her hips as she carried her pile of dishware over to the fire, where Shawn had already started cooking breakfast. “You know, there are plenty of empty rooms in that city. How’s ‘bout you and me ditch the dead weight and go rattle some desk drawers loose, huh?” 

Rose snorted and rolled her eyes again, “I think I’d rather fornicate with a walker while he’s eating my face off…” 

“Didn’t realize you went for the stiffs.” Merle scratched the stubble along his jaw, that same amused smirk still on his lips despite her obvious insult, “Than again, anything’s gotta be better than the little egg roll you’d be getting from junior there.” He jabbed a thumb toward Glenn, who was talking with a couple of people who would be joining them on their run while he aimed a grin at Rose, “Just thought I’d offer a nice sausage to help satisfy ya.”

“I’m quite sure you can find another bun for your sausage, Merle,” Shawn glanced up from cooking, giving the other man a tight-lipped smile, eyes hard and shoulders squared, a silent warning in his posture that told him to back off, “As you can plainly see, Rose isn’t interested in anything _you_ have to offer.”

Merle eyed the Anderson patriarch for the briefest of seconds, wordlessly measuring him up to see how big of a threat he was while Rose busied herself with helping Shawn make breakfast, turning her back pointedly on the redneck to confirm what her father had said. Merle then shifted his gaze back to her and regarded the duo before he shrugged. 

“Offer’s still on the table if ya’ll change yer mind, Rose –“ He grinned in the young woman’s direction, watching her stiffen as he purred out her name; eyes glinting triumphantly, Merle sauntered off, humming to himself. Rose glanced over her shoulder after him, waiting until he was out of earshot before she gave a great shudder and groaned, fighting the bile that clawed at her throat. 

“God, I feel like I need to bathe in boiling water just to get that off me.” Rose groaned under her breath as she sat back on the grass, her stomach clenching, like she was about to be sick. Shawn gave his eldest daughter an empathic look while she leaned back against the legs of a nearby chair, rubbing the bridge of her nose, “I can only hope that’s as bad as he’s going to be today while we’re out on our run…I don’t even want to imagine what would happen if something pissed him off…” 

“We’ll keep our fingers crossed for you.” Sheon said earnestly as he and a few of the others gathered around the fire for breakfast; the smell of eggs saturated the early morning air, enticing the few remaining drowsy campers out of their tents to start their day. Rose gave her cousin a small, grateful smile as Anna rubbed her back.

“I’m sure things will go well, Rose, it’s just one day.” Rose gave Shawn a somewhat skeptical look, pinching her eyebrows in disbelief, “I’m sorry, daddy, but have you _met_ Merle Dixon?” 

Shawn shook his head, smiling softly, “Yes, I have, but remember, Rosie, everyone is different, Merle is just reacting to the world in his own way. We shouldn’t judge him too harshly for it.” 

“You’ll be changing that tone real quick when Merle does something stupid that gets them in trouble.” Sheon snorted, taking a few of the plates loaded with eggs to hand out. Rose sighed deeply while Shawn shook his head again, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder and giving a gentle squeeze. 

“It’s going to be okay, Rose, you’ll see. You ‘ll just have to be really careful while you’re out there, all right?’ He cocked his head to the side, the kind smile still on his lips. Rose looked at her father and nodded, giving a faint smile in return. “Good, now, let’s get breakfast underway so you and the others can get ready. The sooner you leave, the sooner you’ll be back, safe and sound.” 

Nodding her agreement, Rose took a couple of plates of food herself and started helping hand them out; breakfast commenced without further problems, just the normal level of conversation and jokes among the gathered survivors as they enjoyed the powdered eggs Shawn had cooked. When everyone had their fill, all the dishes were gathered together in a small wash basin and the group split to start their chores for the day; those heading out into the city met at the trail that led out of camp, each totting their own backpack. They each said their goodbyes to their families, promising they would be careful and that they would be back soon. Christina fussed over Rose, making double sure she had her swords, bow, and plenty of arrows, as well as a small bag of herbs she forced her to take just in case she needed them. Eventually, one of the boys had to drag her back to the RV just so the supply team could leave. 

The group made their way into Atlanta on foot since they didn’t want to risk being found by walkers if they took one of their cars, and so they could conserve some gas. Glenn leads the way down several back roads into the downtown area, where they slip, unseen, into a nearby department store to start scavenging. They’re relieved when none of the crowd on the street takes notice of their presence, allowing them some room to breathe as they set up a temporary base on the ground floor and plant a look out on the roof before they split up to search for whatever supplies they can find. Glenn and Rose are the only ones who venture out of the department store to search the surrounding area. 

Most of the neighboring buildings mainly consist of offices and a couple of small restaurants, where the duo find dried food, some toiletries, and coffee. Rose even decides to grab some printer paper for the little kids to draw on and scavenges some pens and pencils, as well as matches and lighters, from the office desks. The occasional walker would crop up here or there while they were looking for supplies, but it wasn’t anything neither Rose nor Glenn couldn’t handle, as quick on their feet as the two of them were. 

“It looks like we’ve collected enough for now…” Glenn said as he walked out of another abandoned break room a couple of hours later, zipping his backpack closed and heaving it over his shoulder. He grimaced at the weight of it, struggling for a second to regain his balance. Rose poked her head over the wall of a nearby cubicle as she finished searching the desk drawers. 

“Yeah, we should get these supplies back to the others, you look like you’re about to break your back carrying all that food.” Rose joked with a small smile, cocking her head, “I told you I’d take some of it if it got to be too much for you, you know.” 

Glenn sighed, shrugging the backpack off his aching shoulder, “That would make this easier.” He unzipped the bag as Rose smiled in relief and took the several cans of food and powdered beverage he handed her. She stashed it in her bag, glad to see her taking some of his load was already helping as he was able to pull his bag on with a bit more ease than before. 

Hazel eyes slid over the abandoned office, taking in the scattered papers on the floor and disheveled desks, still littered with random documents and office supplies as though they’d been abandoned in the middle of a work day. Computer monitors sat lifelessly, already gathering dust from lack of use. 

“I think I have one more place to check before we head back.” Rose said into the quiet air, shouldering her backpack once more and nodding to the half open door at one end of the office with a sideways glance at her partner, “Think we’ll find anything good in the boss’s office?” She grinned jokingly as she started toward it. As she approached the door, her footsteps became careful, measured, ears pricked intently for any sound that could indicate something was hiding just out of sight. A hand gripped the handle of one of the swords at her side, breath light and eyes fixated on the door. Golden sunlight lit up the rich mahogany surface, slanting across the dull commercial carpet that covered the office floor. Rose paused a few steps from the door, watching for even the whisper of a shadow to pass the opening and waiting. After several minutes, she raised her free hand, now curled into a fist, and knocked her knuckles smartly against the wall next to the door frame before she paused to listen and watch again. The soft rap of her knuckles echoed in the room beyond, but no other sound followed it aside from the quick rhythm of her heart in her chest and the slow, even breathes that left her lips. No shadow fell across the door to blot out the sunlight, no low, primal growl tumbled through the crack between the door and its’ frame to warn her of the predator waiting to pounce just out of sight. 

Rose knocked smartly against the wall a couple more times just to be sure, pausing between each knock to wait and listen. She didn’t make a move to enter the office until she was absolutely sure it was safe to do so…nothing was worse than being ambushed by a walker they might have missed or over-looked…mistakes could literally mean the difference between life and dead in this new world and Rose would much rather stay alive than die here by a walker’s hand (or, rather, jaw).

Taking slow, deliberate steps forward, Rose carefully slid the blade of her sword between the door and jam; her arm twisted, just slightly, and the door swung open the rest of the way, the loud squeal of the hinges the only sound that broke the quiet. She paused for the space of a heartbeat, listening once more before peering carefully around the door frame and taking a careful step inside. 

The office was somewhat cleaner than the room just outside, although it still looked as though it’d been abandoned in a hurry; a small stack of papers was scattered haphazardly between the legs of the chairs sat in front of the desk. The desk itself still looked fairly tidy, although the calendar was lopsided and the office phone had been knocked to the floor. The monitor set on the right-hand corner sat useless and unused, covered in the same layer of dust as the others. Rose rounded the desk and eyed the open drawers, taking note of the contents that had been spilled across the floor. No doubt the previous occupant had searched through the desk for something important before they’d fled. 

“Doesn’t look like there’s going to be anything else, Rose…” Glenn murmured as he followed her into the office, watching her shine her flashlight in each drawer. 

“No harm in at least checking, though…better to look just in case we do find something useful.” She pointed out while she shifted through the remaining contents. Glenn watched her search for a moment, listening to the sound of papers shuffling and office materials hitting off the sides of the metal drawers before he moved toward the windows that made up the office’s outer wall and peered out onto the street. From this vantage point, he could spot the blockade the army had tried to make at one end of the street; metal road blocks still stood at what was once a crosswalk, fronting the abandoned tank that stood in the middle of the street, which currently looked deserted. 

But wait, no…there was…something coming down the street toward the tank. Glenn squinted to get a better look and leaned in closer to the glass, his eyebrows furrowing. Was it a walker…? No, it looked bigger than a walker, and it was moving quicker than one could. Was it…galloping?

“Hey look, there’s a new sheriff in town.” 

Rose’s voice by his right shoulder made Glenn jump and he glanced over at her with a frown. She didn’t turn to acknowledge the look on her friend’s face, her head cocked as she peered down into the street through a pair of binoculars. Glenn’s brow pinched and he looked back down at the figure thoughtfully before asking Rose if he could take a look, too. She handed the binoculars over and he lifted them to his eyes. 

Well, this guy definitely looked like something out of some kind of modernized Western; decked out in a tan Sheriff’s outfit, complete with Sheriff’s hat and badge, the man was totting a standard police duffle filled to the brim with guns. Funnily enough, his uniform matched the horse he was riding in color. 

“Guy’s in a bit of trouble. Look behind him.” Rose said as Glenn shifted his view from the man and his steed to the crowd of walkers following not too far behind, frowning deeply, “I dunno, he looks okay to –“ Glenn cuts himself off as the man tried to turn his horse down one of the side streets, only to be hindered by a second horde waiting just around the corner. The walkers surround the two on three sides and the horse reared in fright, throwing his rider. Rose flinched and hissed under her breath as the man hit the ground, hard, losing grip on his duffle bag and hat while his steed was quickly swarmed. He scrambled backward from the scene and started to get to his feet when a team of walkers started to bare down on him, forcing him to seek shelter underneath the tank. Walkers begin to swarm from either side as Glenn lowered the binoculars with a grim expression. 

“That guy’s doomed if he doesn’t find the hatch on the bottom of the tank…” he mumbled as Rose chewed her bottom lip, watching him lift the binoculars back to his eyes to watch the open hatch on top of the tank. After what felt like an eternity, the man reappeared through the opening, looking disorientated and dazed as he blinked in the bright sunlight. He shook his head to recollect himself, peering around to spot the mob devouring his horse just to the right and the duffle bag of guns left on the street in front of him. A couple of walkers take notice of him and start to climb the tank, but he quickly ducked back inside and closed the latch behind him.

“Looks like this guy’s got some luck on his side.” Rose muttered with interest, shrugging off her backpack to dig out the walkie-talkie her father insisted she take with her everywhere. Shawn thought it best if she and the rest of his brood had a walkie-talk on them at all times, just in case they got separated from their group and needed to get in contact with them. “Probably not for long, though, not if he stays in that tank. Here, see if you can’t get this on the same frequency as the radio in the tank.” She nudged Glenn with her shoulder, making him lower the binoculars to peer back at her. He frowned once more, looking at the walkie-talkie, then her, unsure. She frowned back. 

“C’mon, Glenn, I know he’s a stranger, but he’s a survivor like us, too. How would you feel if you were in his situation?’ she nodded toward the tank again, giving Glenn a pointed look, “I’m not going to leave him stuck there if there’s something we can do to help him.” 

Glenn sighed heavily at the conviction in Rose’s voice and nodded, “Fine, but if this all goes south, I’m blaming you.” He muttered as he traded her the binoculars for the walkie-talkie. Rose smiled a bit in victory as she returned the binoculars to her backpack, watching Glenn tune the walkie to the right station. 

Glancing at her once more, Glenn turned to peer back out the window, watching more and more walkers swarm the street where the horse had fallen and the man was trapped inside the tank while he raised the device to his lips. 


End file.
